iThoughts. A New Way to Speak My Mind.

A Method to My Madness

2007-09-17T13:44:00.001-04:00

I just realized something and, like most people do, didn't see it till today...

I need a set structure for almost everything in my life.

No, I don't order my underwear by color or date of purchase.

On the other hand, I do the following:

When I'm at work and have to eat out, I have a set place to go eat lunch for each day of the week.
Eat Skittles in threes; no more, no less.
I've had the same haircut for more more than a few years.
When washing my teeth, I count my brushstrokes.
My keychain is ordered from largest to smallest.

These are just a few that come to mind, but I'm sure there are many more.

I don't think it's bad to be organized, but when your life follows the same schedule day after day something is probably wrong.

I think I'm in need of a double dose of extra strength variety!

Something Windy This Way Comes

2007-08-15T11:07:00.001-04:00

Living on a tropical island has its perks. Sunny weather throughout the year is the first one that often comes to mind. Unfortunately there's downsindes, too.

Hurricanes. Those humongous atmospheric freaks of nature that slowly and steadily wreak havoc along the path they follow. In my lifetime I remember quite a few that have really turned the Island upside down and, I assure you, nothing good comes when one comes a knockin'.

Recently on the news there's the mention of Tropical Storm Dean, gaining both strength and ground and probably coming this way! A few years back, my wife and I ordered the installation of storm shutters to weather, uhm, the weather. So far we haven't needed to use them.

Will this be the one that'll break them in? Not literally, I hope...

Video Games + Excercise = Oxymoron

2007-07-12T10:22:00.000-04:00

Most people associate the word gamer with someone, usually a male, who is always glued to a TV or computer screen, entranced in the virtual world they're participating in. Also, not being physically fit is a common assumption. While most times this can be the case, Nintendo has come up with a way to get those flabby, out-of-shape people off their couches.

Yesterday, the company revealed at E3 a new peripheral for their Wii console: the Wii Balance Board. Here are a couple of pics:

This will come bundled with new software titled Wii Fit and it'll include a varied set of excercises for you to get in shape. I must admit I'm not into working out, but this game just might be thing I need to get off my butt!

Great! But Too Late...

2007-07-09T14:36:00.000-04:00

While browsing my daily tech news, I came across an article that made me both happy and sad:

FDA OKs Patch to Treat Alzheimer's Dementia
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first skin patch to be used to treat the effects of Alzheimer's disease. The drug in the patch, Exelon, can sometimes cause gastrointestinal side effects when swallowed as a pill. Delivering Exelon through the patch eliminates this side effect and provides regular and continuous doses throughout the day. More...

My grandfather was afflicted by this terrible disease and passed away in 1992 because of it. It's great that they've finally found a way to medicate it, giving those that now suffer from this a chance at a better life with their families. On the other hand, why did it take 15 years to come up with a treatment? I'm not a doctor, so I'll never quite understand the intricacies of human's mental ailments.

Now all I need is a Time Machine...

iPhone Virgin No More!

2007-07-05T16:43:00.001-04:00

gerry LIKES the iPhone!
Originally uploaded by jidnet

I bumped into my friend José Izquierdo (Flickr|YouTube) and Wilton Vargas, of Tecnético.com fame, at the mall yesterday. They had in their hands the most desired digital device of the decade (or at least since last week): the iPhone! They let me play with it a while and I really was impressed with Apple's entry into the cell phone market. I navigated the touch-screen interface, fiddled around with the iPod, Mail and Internet features, and, of course, made a call! It was an amazing experience and I can't wait for the iPhone to finally hit our shores. The local rumor mill points toward December, but I won't get my hopes up until I see an official press release.

More Than Meets the Eye!

2007-07-05T16:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday morning my wife and I woke up bright and early to see the new Transformers movie with some close friends. I really enjoyed the flick! Seeing the giant shapeshifting robots in action took me back to those days when I was a kid, playing with the toys this film was inspired from. Definite thumbs up from this geek!

NO iPHONE FOR YOU!!

2007-06-26T10:57:00.000-04:00

Apple and AT&T finally revealed today the pricing plans for those who're lucky, wealthy, or who camped out early enough for the computer maker's iPod/Cell Phone hybrid coming out on June 29^th.
What plan am I interested in? Well, any of which will bring the iPhone to the Island. You read right. The highly coveted device by puertorrican geeks will not land on our shores and there's no arrival date in sight!

Why not just go to the States and bring one back, you ask? No can do. Pretty reliable sources tell me that the phones will lock out non-US area codes; Puerto Rico's are 787 and 939. So even if I would do the crazy deed and use a local SIM card instead of the one that came with the phone, it simply won't work. No phone calls, no data plan, nothing.

And for all us loyal Mac Evangelists, who preach the word of Steve, Apple has once again bent us over and made us "take it up the tail pipe." How many more can we tolerate until it's too late? Only time wil tell...

Averted Cat-astrophe

2007-04-12T10:01:00.000-04:00

Last night, as I was walking to the train, I heard a faint noise. A cry? Maybe a whimper? Actually more like a meow. Following the sound, I came up upon a brush of tangled branches and peered in. To my surprise a tiny kitten was hiding and what seemed to be calling out for help. A nearby homeless man mentioned somebody left it there on purpose.

I was both angered and heartbroken by this revelation. Why were people so cruel? A poor defenseless kitty left to fend for itself in the concrete jungle that is Roosevelt Ave. I took it upon myself to rescue it (which later I learned is a he). First I tried to reach in and grab him, but he was too scared. I then tried calling out to him, extending my open palm. He started to inch out, his bright green eyes fixed on my hand. Once he was close enough in reach, I scooped him out before he could sink his sharp little claws into me. With cat in hand, I proceeded to the train station.

Problem #1: animals aren't allowed inside the cars. I explained to the person on duty the unique circumstances of my situation and let me through. The train driver made note that if any cop would see me with the kitten I'd be in trouble. Let me say this: that was the single most longest train ride in my life! Arriving successfully at my stop, I scurried with the grubby kitty to my car and drove home.

Problem #2: dogs and cats usually don't get along; I have two. I called my wife to put our dogs away before going in. She saw the sullied, orange-striped furball in my hands and understood why I went through so much trouble. We gave the kitten some warm milk and then he began to explore his surroundings. The question about where would he sleep came up. I fetched the smaller of our pair of canines to see if they would get along. An arched back and loud hiss cleared any doubts right away. Disappointed, we prepared an old pet porter for him to sleep in for the night.

Anyway, this morning my wife took him to our local Humane Society and they told her the kitten has a high chance of being adopted.

I guess he still gets to keep his nine lives after all.

Childhood Memories

2007-04-11T13:46:00.000-04:00

I was browsing around YouTube and came across an episode of the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. I remember seeing this when I was a kid, excited to watch my favorite videogame characters come to life in a cartoon. This is part 1 of 3. Enjoy!

Random Updates

2007-04-04T16:01:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we celebrated my youngest brother's birthday over at my parents' house with pizza and cake. Yum!
Yesterday my wife and I surprised my mom with "Charlotte's Web" on DVD. She was overjoyed and we joined her in watching the film that same evening.
The Wii I sent to my friend in South Africa finally arrived. Enjoy!
My wife surprised me with a new Wii game yesterday, but, after reading lackluster reviews, we went back to the store and exchanged it for another.
Our puppy Fiona still hasn't learned her lesson: Mommy's shoes are not toys!
We're invited to two deaf activities in the coming weeks: a baby shower and a wedding anniversary. Very excited (and nervous)!
Oh, did I tell you I took a basic sign language class?
I've been working at my company's temporary Hato Rey offices for a month now. The construction for our definite workplace is still not finished. We might end up spending another month on the 9^th floor, waiting...
I've become addicted to twitter. Add me so you know what I'm doing.
I've become addicted to Facebook, too. If we studied, worked together, or even met randomly, go to my profile add me as a friend!
My favorite TV Show, Heroes, is off the air until April 23rd. Damn it!
Oh, did I tell you I'm part of The 9^th: a Heroes podcast? Subscribe to the show and tell me what you think!
Speaking of podcasts, the iWannabes are on indefinite hiatus. Stay subscribed just in case...
I'm back in school, taking another course for my Master's in Computer Science. It's titled Advanced Software Architecture. Sounds nerdy, huh? It is.
Super Paper Mario comes out on the 10^th. Me wants it, preciousss!
Pokemon Diamon and Pearl come out on the 23^rd. Need to catch 'em all... again.
On the 26th, my wife and I will have been married for four years. Hurray for us!
What do you get someone for their four year anniversary? Suggestions?
Anxiously waiting for Leopard to pounce this summer.
My youngest brother and I ganged up on my other brother in Wii Tennis. We won by a small margin. The dude's got mad skillz in that game!
6 - 1 = Unhappy family. The equation is... hard to explain.
On Valentine's, I upgraded my wife's iPod mini to a nano. She was not expecting it at all.
Definitely interested in the upcoming San Diego ComiCon. Will I be able to go?
I want to see the new TMNT movie with my siblings! Hopefully this Thursday...
My wife and I need new eyeglasses.

If I think of anything else I'll either add it to this post or make a new one. Stay tuned!

Bye Bye BlackBerry, Hello iPhone!

2007-01-09T17:46:00.000-04:00

Today was Steve Jobs keynote at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco. This day is renowned worldwide by all Apple fans because we're sucked into the "reality distortion field" and be in awe of the company's upcoming products.

One of today's highlights was the Apple TV, a hub for all your media on your computer. Connect this little device on your TV and you can watch your downloaded shows and movies, listen to your music library or podcasts, and view photo slideshows from the comfort of your couch; no computer cables or complicated connections necessary. Everything is streamed over the air wirelessly. This is something I've been looking forward to since the introduction of the Mac mini. I need to get a wide screen HDTV first, though.

The other whopper was the unveiling of the iPhone, an iPod, cell phone, and PDA all rolled into one. It's a sleek device with a wide screen multi-touch interface and painfully simple to operate. Everyone was already expecting this new gadget to be announced, but were greatly amazed anyway at its features. I'm not going to ramble on in this post so read more about the new iPhone on Apple's site.

Both products will be released in February and June respectively. Tsk tsk, Apple. You have me feeling the urge to splurge!

Shh! I'm Hunting Wii-bits

2007-01-05T11:20:00.000-04:00

As the Fudd-ish title implies, I'm on a quest to find a couple of coveted Nintendo Wiis. One is for my parents, which plan on installing the console at the horse ranch in Cidra. Apparently my dad, after playing Wii Sports, got the bright idea to make a virtual bowling alley for the patrons to enjoy. The thing is that he publicly announced the inaugural date and he still hasn't bought a Wii!

The other is for my good friend René, who right now is across the world in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso doing work for the Peace Corps. I don't know how many stamps it's gonna cost to send a video game console, extra controllers, and a game to West Africa, but I doubt it'll be cheap!

So I'm harassing my contacts over at EB Games every other day to see when more shipments come in. Hopefully after the holiday season dies down I'll be able to snag them. Wish me luck!

Welcome 2007!

2007-01-05T10:56:00.000-04:00

Hey people (or person, depending how many actually keep reading after another hiatus),

2006 is all but a memory and 2007 is here and now! There were the occasional ups and downs, but in retrospect last year was a pretty good one.

A few days into 2007 and nothing earth shattering so far; nothing catastrophic either. Let's cross our fingers for the former to happen and not the latter!

Yatta! Alo Nu Yooork!!

2006-11-16T19:48:00.000-04:00

T minus 15 minutes until my wife and I board a plane headed for the Big Apple. We're once again crossing the pond for Thanksgiving and spend it alongside friends and family. Of course, sightseeing is a must and we'll be doing a lot of that since we'll be hopping around four states: New York, Boston, Virginia, and Washington DC.

Well, our boarding call should be any minute now. I'll try to post some pics if I come across another hotspot.

COWABUNGA!!

2006-07-26T17:36:00.000-04:00

I just witnessed the teaser for a movie I will be desperately awaiting every single day until it is finally released!

The countdown has begun...

iWannabes, Take 2

2006-07-26T17:28:00.000-04:00

Jose, Ricardo, and I do our best to record the iWannabes podcast at least twice a month, but hectic schedules often get the best of us. After a whole month went by, the guys and I finally got together on Sunday to record another show.
But something was different: we weren't our usual upbeat selves. We even went to the extent of buying caffeine drinks to liven us up. Nothing worked, but we recorded the show anyway. Upon finishing we all agreed that the monotonous tone of the show did not pass iWannabes standards and decided to scrap it.

The episode was re-recorded the next day and our flow of information and comedy was back as expected. Apparently Sundays are a no-go for podcasts, at least for us.

A curse, maybe? Spooky...

Till Death Do They Part

2006-07-26T17:04:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday was my brother's wedding. After years of dating, he finally took the plunge and decided to settle down. My wife and I went to the ceremony and met with family members I hadn't seen in a while. As soon as the bride-to-be began walking down the aisle, we were prepared for an hour or so long event, but the priest skimmed over the Good Book like if the Apocalypse was the day after. He even forgot to pronounce them man and wife!

After the "quickie" marriage, we headed to where the reception would be held at. I danced the night away with various partners: my wife, my mom, my sister, my grandma, and even my great grandma! The highlights of the evening were when the three-elderly man band busted out a popular rap song and later when a Bomba y Plena troup began to play typical puertorrican tunes.

Everyone had a great time, especially the recently married couple. Cheers to you both and may you live happily ever after!

Strumming My Game With Her Fingers

2006-07-18T14:50:00.000-04:00

I'm a Nintendo fanboy and I don't hide it. I've owned almost every console since the original NES. Right now my main source of video game entertainment is the company's redesigned DS lite, but something happened this past weekend. The reign of the Big N in our home as the only gaming machine would come to an end. Now it must share playtime with its nemesis: the PlayStation 2!

The thing is that this weekend my wife was over at a friend's house. When I arrived to pick her up she was holding what looked like a small guitar and playing along to "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand. The game is Guitar Hero, only available for Sony's PlayStation 2, in which you hold down the fret buttons, flick the strum bar, and wiggle the whammy bar of a guitar controller to 25 famous rock songs. So I decided to give the game a go to see what it was all about...

After a couple of hours of "More Than a Feeling", "Bark at the Moon", and "Infected" I was hooked! Unfortunately, not owning a PS2 brought me back to my Nintendo reality, but my wife had other plans. She started to plead and beg me for the game. It was weird since the only game she loves to play, besides Tetris on her cell phone, is Soul Calibur II. We eventually left, my wife moping in her seat and deeply sighing all the way home. I got the message...

The next morning I woke up early (which really means before noon), took a bath, and scurried out the door. I told my wife before leaving that I was going to buy something to eat. What she didn't know is that, besides bringing back food, I had planned to buy her Sony's console as well as the game. I drove quickly to the closest CompUSA and bought the PS2, then hopped over to GameStop to get Guitar Hero before coming back home.

I stashed the bags and after eating I asked her to check the family room. She gasped and started laughing uncontrollably while saying "You lied to me!" Like a kid on Christmas, she ripped open the boxes and pulled out her new toys. After helping her set up the system she rocked away all afternoon... and sadly didn't let me play all that much.

All in all, I'm glad she's gotten into a game we can both enjoy, even though as of this day she's already way ahead of me!

Bye Bye Bachelor

2006-07-17T13:50:00.001-04:00

For those that know me or have followed this blog since day one, I've been happily married for three years now and the next in line to tie the knot from my family is my brother. Tradition dictates that all grooms should at least enjoy their last moments as single men. Since my brother is getting married this coming Saturday, this past weekend he had his bachelor party.

He and my youngest sibling rounded up their closest friends, purchased all the alcohol they could possibly need, and employed the service of a couple of strippers to entertain the bunch later in the evening. I was invited and brought a good friend of mine to join the ride. My little brother told me the party would start around 9 pm...

10 pm: After waiting for everyone's to join the caravan, we finally get to the house where the party would be at. The strippers would arrive at 11 pm...

11 pm: Loud music and hard liquor aplenty, but no strippers yet. They should be arriving at midnight...

Midnight: No girls in sight, but a few of the guys were already tipsy. What do you get when you mix beer and tequila with horny guys? The result of this chemical reaction soon...

1 am: A hint of anxiety is in the air (as well as the smell of booze) when the strippers are yet to appear. At this point, my friend and I call it quits, bid farewell to my brothers, and head back home.

The next day, I called my siblings up to see what happened after we left. The girls finally got there at 3 am! They then began to describe how they were entertained: broken shirts and underwear, belt whippping, and ice thrown down the jeans. At that point I was glad to have left early. It seemed more like they released a pack of wild animals in the party.

The important thing is they had fun... in a weird, masochistic soft of way.

PodFather-in-Law

2006-07-06T15:01:00.000-04:00

For the past two weeks my wife's dad has been staying with us during his vacation to Puerto Rico. Since he's been out of the country for a couple of years, we've been going all around the Island checking out well-known and unknown tourist spots. All in all, for us it has definitely been both an educational and entertaining experience.

My father-in-law is leaving on Saturday so, since my wife doesn't get to see him that often, we decided to give him a going-away present: the latest iPod with video. He was in shock and awe when he saw the gift and was very thankful for our gesture.

My father-in-law loves technology and is very eager to learn how to use his new gadget. I'm gonna have to give him a crash course in iPod basics before he leaves so he can enjoy his favorite tunes on his flight back to the States.

Belated Blog Birthday

2006-06-28T14:21:00.000-04:00

While skimming over past posts I just realized that this blog is now two years old! It's impressive that something that began as a fad (at least for me) has become an outlet for my quirky daily ocurrences.

I know I haven't really written everyday like I planned originally, but I think sporadic entries like this one are worth more than single sentence posts that have no depth or meaning.

Thanks much to those who keep checking in. Even though comments are scarce, I know you come back to see what's up in my life... even an ordinary one such as mine.

Master of My Domain!

2006-06-28T00:02:00.000-04:00

After years and years of being a denizen of the World Wide Web, I finally put down some cash for my very own dot-com. Now this humble blog has its own unique address:

http://www.ithoughtsblog.com/

V3, a virtual sub domain provider, allowed me to redirect you, my faithful readers, through a much simpler and memorable address. But today my wife noticed that my blog wasn't available anymore through them. So I said: what the heck, let me just run over to GoDaddy and register a domain. A couple of clicks later and now I have my very own place on the Internet!

PS: Don't forget to refresh your bookmarks!

The iWannabes: LIVE & Recorded!

2006-06-05T14:13:00.001-04:00

This past Saturday, the iWannabes got together as usual to record another podcast. Now what was so special about that particular recording? We streamed our recording live over the Internet!

Even thought the show ran a little longer than expected, it turned out great. We had special guests in our "studio" and even live feedback from our listeners. It was an amazing experience and hopefully we'll do it again in the near future.

Not an iWannabes listener? First, shame on you! And second, click here to get the latest episode.

Nintendo Wii?? WTF is More Like It!

2006-04-27T14:02:00.000-04:00

I just sat down at my desk and I decided to read some gaming news. To my surprise (and dismay) Nintendo revealed the new name for it's upcoming next-gen console: Nintendo Wii.

Wii as in "we".

I don't blame you if you are scratching your head in confusion right now. I'm in a total state of shock. It's Revolution code name was more... well, revolutionary! It signified what the industry really needed, a change in the paradigm of video game entertainment.

And now, the "genuises" over at marketing come up with this! Were they the same ones who brainwashed Steve Jobs in using the MacBook moniker?

All I'm going to say is if Nintendo thought convincing people that horsepower isn't important and swinging around a TV remote-like device is the future of gaming, with a name like Wii they'd better be ready for the battle that awaits them this generation.

Three Down, Till Death to Go!

2006-04-27T10:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was our third anniversary and I still can't believe all that time has gone by so quickly. Time flies when your having fun, they say, especially when you're with that special someone. Of course we've had our ups and downs, but doesn't every couple? Tough times and challenges always lie ahead, but the good ones greatly outnumber the bad. The most important thing is what lies deep within each other's heart and that love will conquer after all.

Thank you, my darling wife. I could never ask for a better woman to be by my side.